"Dwight's eyes went blank and he drifted away" - Phil Jackson said Kobe Bryant's speech prompted Dwight Howard to leave Lakers

Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard 's fallout had many moving parts. The popular narrative is that Howard didn't have the same tenacious mentality as the Black Mamba. This did not sit well with Kobe, who wanted to win as many titles as possible.

However, Phil Jackson revealed that Bryant's speech during a meeting might have been the deciding factor for the big man to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. The Zen Master claimed that if Kobe had stopped talking, Dwight would've stayed in L.A.

Kobe's speech

After the 2012-13 NBA season, Howard and the Lakers sat down for a postseason interview, where the Purple and Gold reiterated their dedication to winning a title.

In Jackson's book, " The Eleven Rings ," the Zen Master noted that Kobe "made a moving speech during the pitch," promising the big man he would unveil the secrets of winning multiple titles. If the meeting had ended there, Dwight probably would've remained a Laker.

"But after the presentation, Dwight asked Kobe what he was planning to do after he recovered from his Achilles injury. Was this going to be his last year? 'No,' replied Kobe. 'I'm planning to be around for three or four more years,'" Jackson wrote.

"At that point, according to others in the room, Dwight's eyes went blank and he drifted away. In his mind, the game was over. […] A few days later he announced that he was signing with the (Houston) Rockets," Phil added.

The four-time Defensive Player of the Year was looking to be the franchise star once Kobe retired. After all, he was at the peak of his powers during this time having left the Orlando Magic after futile attempts at winning an NBA championship.

The Lakers provided the Atlanta native with a pathway to success. However, given his disagreements with Kobe, the eight-time All-Star knew that to win a title, he had to have his own team—or at least a squad without Kobe in it.

Dwight's second L.A. stint

After years of bouncing around from team to team, Howard returned to Los Angeles in the 2019-20 NBA season in his quest for a title. However, the big man was way past his prime this time, and he no longer insisted on having his own team.

Instead, Dwight followed LeBron James' leadership and marching orders. For his efforts and sacrifices, D12 was rewarded with his first-ever NBA championship after the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 4-2 in the Orlando Bubble.

The sweetest part of it all is that he put aside his feud with Kobe and dedicated the ring in memory of the Lakers icon.

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